Frequently Asked Questions:

What will my initial session be like?
​In order to provide the effective treatment it is important to develop a dialogue with both the client and their body.  Special attention is given to the initial conversation and evaluation before treatment begins. Understanding that the first session may not address all of your problems, a post treatment plan is also discussed for planning additional sessions and most importantly establishing goals.  
Why didn't the therapist want to know about my medical history before the initial evaluation was complete?
The initial evaluation is something that will be performed at the beginning of every session. This provides the therapist with information (from the body) on where restriction patterns are at in that moment. It is critical at this step (especially during your first session) that the evaluation remain as objective as possible and the therapist is not influenced by having too much information ahead of time. The initial eval is gentle, non-invasive and is typically performed with you standing (without shoes) or sometimes sitting upright on the table with your legs in a neutral position. 
Why is the initial session so long?
Initial sessions often times run longer due to the need to review medical history, answer questions and discuss subsequent steps in your treatment plan. Once the therapist and patient develop a solid rapport the sessions tend to shorten in length.
Can I use my Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for manual therapies?
IRS guidelines allows the use of HSA and FSA accounts only if certain conditions are met.  In order to be considered a "qualified medical expense", treatment must be to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental ailment.   Per the IRS "Therapy" is defined "as included in medical treatment".  In other words, if you are booking a session to simply relax, this is not covered.  If however you are seeking therapeutic massage or other forms of therapy to treat a medical condition, this would be covered.  Examples of medical conditions could include: stress, back pain, fibromyalgia, diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety or general pain management (to name a few).   

For additional questions, please feel free to contact us, reference IRS publication 502 (link provided below).
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf
What does Craniosacral therapy feel like?
Most people report experiencing an extreme state of relaxation, however, this varies with each individual.  Due to its light nature, which follows the natural rhythms of the body, clients usually do not feel dramatic manipulation from the therapist's hands.  There are certain techniques (such as mouth-work) which are an exception to this rule.  Mouth work involves the therapist (wearing a protective glove) manipulating the mouth, jaw and cheekbone in order to facilitate increased flow and release within the Craniosacral system. ​
What does Visceral Manipulation feel like?
Visceral Manipulation is still considered a light(er) touch therapy by most standards but the therapist will work more targeted areas of the anatomy based on where he/she feels the restrictions during the evaluation and beyond. 
What does Neural Manipulation feel like?
Neural Manipulation is also a very light-touch therapy. Nerves are very sensitive and should never be manipulated aggressively without risk of making symptoms worse. We have even had clients come to us with nerve pain that they believed to be caused by deep-tissue work that aggravated the nerve tissue. Neural work may often be combined with Visceral and Cranial work as, after all, they are all connected!
How can such a light touch therapy benefit me?
The body is wired to protect its most delicate structures.  Aggressive touch and pressure stimulates natural protective reflexes.  Light touch enables the practitioner to facilitate movement and release of deeper core tissues without triggering defensive mechanisms.  ​
Are there any additional resources available to research Craniosacral and Visceral Therapies?
You can read further about Craniosacral Therapy on the Upledger Institute's website:  http://www.upledger.com
Information on Visceral Manipulation can be found on the Barral Institute's website:  http://www.barralinstitute.com
How should I dress for a session?
You should wear loose, comfortable clothing.  Some work can be performed over lightweight material, but there are times when clothing may need to be removed in order to access specific parts of the body. Whenever an article of clothing is removed, proper draping is applied with a top sheet to ensure comfort of the person on the table.
How soon before I start to feel better?
As with most types of therapies, results depend on many factors.  Your therapist will work with you to understand your present condition and to guide you through the goal setting process.  "Dynamic Wellness" does not imply an external force which "fixes" people.  We firmly believe in a team-based approach and will partner with you directly to support you as you move through your wellness journey.  This may also mean working with other health-care providers as part of a larger treatment plan.  We work with Doctors (MD, ND and OD), Physical Therapists, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Nutritionists and even other Licensed Massage Therapists who specialize in other modalities.   

Our bodies are amazing machines.  When presented with stress, physical or emotional trauma or chronic disease, our bodies are able to redirect energy and resources to work around imbalances and compensate for systems which are not functioning optimally.  This natural protective mechanism can happen over and over, resulting in layer after layer of 're-wiring'.  As part of the healing process, we focus on helping the body to remember its original natural flow and to re-train systems to function as intended.  This process may result in feeling worse before feeling better as we disrupt old patterns.  The approach could be compared to attempting to untangle a very knotted, very long piece of string.  We start by finding one end of that string and working to untangle each knot one-by-one.  

More simply put, your individual results will depend on your body, the number of restrictive "knots" and duration of which those restrictions have been left untreated.    
Is craniosacral therapy safe for infants and/or children?
Yes.  These therapies are safe for infants and children; however, providers treating small children should receive specialized pediatric training. Dynamic Wellness Therapy does not presently treat any child less than 3 years of age.  We are happy to refer to qualified practitioners in the area if this is something you are interested in. ​
How invasive is visceral manipulation? Will it hurt?
Certain techniques require hand placement that may come close to areas on the chest or pelvic area due to the location of the targeted organs.  Visceral Manipulation requires a very specific knowledge of anatomy; while the therapist may have hand placement near specific areas it is with the same intent and focus as a trained medical physician.  Any time the therapist approaches any area that might be perceived as uncomfortable, he/she will communicate prior and educate each client as to the intent and purpose of the touch.  Generally speaking, this form of therapy should not cause pain; however, inflamed organs and tissues may be sensitive and the client is encouraged to communicate during the session if experiencing any feelings of discomfort.   
Do you do "traditional" massage?
This is a question we get asked frequently.  Simply put, there is no such thing at "Traditional Massage".  Licensed Massage Therapists go through a core curriculum training just like doctors who go to medical school; however, as with other medical professionals, most end up specializing in one area or another by the time they form a practice.  Dynamic Wellness Therapy focuses primarily on Craniosacral and Visceral therapies as its foundation for helping the body to heal.  Therapeutic massage in its many forms definitely provides the foundation for this work; however, if you are seeking a simple "Relaxation Massage" as is popularly promoted in several retail outlets, your experience with us may be somewhat different.

This is not to say we turn our back on those clients whose main goal is physical relaxation.  Dynamic Wellness comes in many forms; however, we feel passionately that overall wellness is dramatically enhanced with these other modalities woven into your treatment plan.  Our goal is to see clients get well, not simply feel better for a few hours and return in pain again the following week.  ​
What payment methods do you accept?
We currently accept check, cash or credit card. Payment is expected in-full at the end of every session.​
What type of training is required to perform this type of therapy?
These modalities (CST and VM) were developed by Osteopathic Physicians to make this form of treatment available to health-care providers other than Medical Doctors.  A Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) pursuing training in these disciplines, trains along side Medical Doctors, Physical Therapists, Naturopathic Doctors, Osteopathic Doctors or even Chiropractic Doctors.  

When seeking a health care provider, you should inquire on level of education above and beyond their core discipline.  For example, in the state of Maryland, a LMT must have a minimum of a 2-year associates degree to work in any clinical environment.   There are also several levels of training for both CST and VM.  Anyone who practices CST or VM should be more than happy to share the hours of class study/training as well as the length of time he or she has been practicing.

Ready to experience the benefits of osteopathic manual therapy?